Matthew Hoh (1 of 16)
President Obama's choice about Afghanistan isn’t getting any easier. Last week Matthew Hoh, a senior State Department official in the country, resigned to protest U.S. policies there. Hoh said he didn't "see the value or the worth in continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year old civil war." This is not the first time a policymaker stepped down over choices made in Washington. Click through this TNR slideshow to see some historical wartime resignations.
Matthew Hoh (1 of 16)
President Obama's choice about Afghanistan isn’t getting any easier. Last week Matthew Hoh, a senior State Department official in the country, resigned to protest U.S. policies there. Hoh said he didn't "see the value or the worth in continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year old civil war." This is not the first time a policymaker stepped down over choices made in Washington. Click through this TNR slideshow to see some historical wartime resignations.
John Brady Kiesling (3 of 16)
After almost 20 years in the State Department, Kiesling resigned as a chief of the political section at the U.S. embassy in Athens to protest the invasion of Iraq. In his resignation letter, he asked, "Have we indeed become blind … to our own advice, that overwhelming military power is not the answer to terrorism?"
John Brady Kiesling (3 of 16)
After almost 20 years in the State Department, Kiesling resigned as a chief of the political section at the U.S. embassy in Athens to protest the invasion of Iraq. In his resignation letter, he asked, "Have we indeed become blind … to our own advice, that overwhelming military power is not the answer to terrorism?"
Robert McNamara (5 of 16)
McNamara resigned as secretary of defense in 1968, after disagreeing with President Johnson about the course of the Vietnam War. In the film Fog of War, an elderly McNamara recounted, "I had this enormous respect and affection, loyalty, to both Kennedy and Johnson. But at the end, Johnson and I found ourselves poles apart."
Robert McNamara (5 of 16)
McNamara resigned as secretary of defense in 1968, after disagreeing with President Johnson about the course of the Vietnam War. In the film Fog of War, an elderly McNamara recounted, "I had this enormous respect and affection, loyalty, to both Kennedy and Johnson. But at the end, Johnson and I found ourselves poles apart."
William Jennings Bryan (7 of 16)
In 1915, Bryan resigned as secretary of state to protest President Wilson's inclination toward U.S. involvement in World War I. After Germany sank the Lusitania, a British cruiser carrying 128 Americans, Bryan favored reconciliation with Germany. He decided to step down rather than sign Wilson's strongly-worded letter of protest against the attack.
William Jennings Bryan (7 of 16)
In 1915, Bryan resigned as secretary of state to protest President Wilson's inclination toward U.S. involvement in World War I. After Germany sank the Lusitania, a British cruiser carrying 128 Americans, Bryan favored reconciliation with Germany. He decided to step down rather than sign Wilson's strongly-worded letter of protest against the attack.
Anthony Lake (9 of 16)
A longtime fixture in U.S. national security, Lake resigned in 1970 as an aide to then- Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, after Kissinger sought to expand the Vietnam War to Cambodia. He would go on to become President Clinton's national security advisor.
Anthony Lake (9 of 16)
A longtime fixture in U.S. national security, Lake resigned in 1970 as an aide to then- Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, after Kissinger sought to expand the Vietnam War to Cambodia. He would go on to become President Clinton's national security advisor.
Marshall Harris (11 of 16)
In August 1993, Harris, the State Department’s expert on the Balkans, resigned from his post to protest American inaction in Bosnia. He alleged that the Clinton administration had "missed or mishandled” the situation by waiting too long to protect the Bosnians, ultimately settling on air strikes too late, as a way to “assuage our guilt."
Marshall Harris (11 of 16)
In August 1993, Harris, the State Department’s expert on the Balkans, resigned from his post to protest American inaction in Bosnia. He alleged that the Clinton administration had "missed or mishandled” the situation by waiting too long to protect the Bosnians, ultimately settling on air strikes too late, as a way to “assuage our guilt."
George Kennan (13 of 16)
The 'father of containment' resigned from the Foreign Service in 1949, over disputes with Secretary of State Dean Acheson about the development of the hydrogen bomb (which Kennan opposed). Acheson later claimed he told Kennan that, "if that was his view he ought to resign from the Foreign Service and go out and preach his Quaker gospel but not push it within the department."
George Kennan (13 of 16)
The 'father of containment' resigned from the Foreign Service in 1949, over disputes with Secretary of State Dean Acheson about the development of the hydrogen bomb (which Kennan opposed). Acheson later claimed he told Kennan that, "if that was his view he ought to resign from the Foreign Service and go out and preach his Quaker gospel but not push it within the department."
Related Links - Resignations (15 of 16)
Click here to read Jason Zengerle on John Brady Kiesling.
Click here to read John Lewis Gaddis on George Kennan.
Click here to read Elbert Ventura on The Fog of War.
Related Links - Resignations (15 of 16)
Click here to read Jason Zengerle on John Brady Kiesling.
Click here to read John Lewis Gaddis on George Kennan.
Click here to read Elbert Ventura on The Fog of War.
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